SAN FRANCISCO: GHIRARDELLI, TROLLEYS, GOOD EATS AND LOTS OF WALKING!

01.31.10   -  TRAVELS

August 1, 2009

Gotta love those Ghirardelli 'sample size' bars they give you at the door. You know, the little tiny, bite-size shiny ones that are different colors and is juhhhst enough to get you hooked so you spend more than you intended to when you enter their store-slash-temple! Fortunately we managed to get out of the Ghirardelli chocolate factory without breaking our allowance. :OD

"There aren't any coffee shops anywhere," I shouted to Kerry while we strolled through the Fisherman's wharf looking to have our usual mocha or chai while walking through San Francisco's 'Pike Place' or 'Farmers Market'. Shocked, we found the only coffee shop around - Starbucks! But I was really looking for that 'out-of-way' specialty coffee/cappuccino stop that would prove different and more cozy...since after 7pm the temperature wandered well below 50-degrees (super cold considering we had shorts and a light top on).

Our first experience was riding the 'BART' underground transit system, which is just about the coolest thing I've ridden on lately. From thirty minutes south of the Bay Area (where the airport is located), the Bart took us all the way into downtown, with about ten stops along the way....but sure felt nice to imagine what Seattle would be like with a similar system! (only in our wildest dreams!!)

Starving from pretty much skipping breakfast on our first full day, we managed to find one of the best Chinese restaurants in town, in whereelse but 'Chinatown', which flaunted so many street shops we were just about 'street-shopped' out after our lunch of Wonton-noodle soup, Szechuan chicken and some great hot tea. After that meal we still had about five blocks of hill climbing (oh yeah, did I mention San Fran puts WSU to shame on hills!)...until we reached the trolley stop that took us down to the 'Wharf'.

Travelling standby is always fun, but managed to find a flight with TONS of open seats so I got a whole row to myself....Zzzzzz

Chinatown has some of the most eclectic colors around, really opens up your 'visual palette' - no wonder we HAD to wear sunglasses!! lol

Yeah, between the trolley operator and Kerry urging me on, I was pretty much a lock for being a cheeseball and ringing the trolley-bell! Good times...and yes, I would do it again!

My last photograph (above-right) before hitting the 'In-N-Out' burger and ducking into the Bart (subway) and heading back to the airport.

This was the view from the top of the famous 'Lonbard Street' (you know, the one that zig-zags on some seriously dated brick cobblestone). Really reminded me of my youth when my dad would make ABSOLUTE certain that we took a drive down Lombard before we left. Just a great view of 'The Presidio' (far top-right) about an hour before sunset. Oh yeah, forgot to mention...we walked from Fisherman's Wharf halfway back to downtown, including the brutal few hills leading up to Lombard, which left me wishing I kept my running fitness a bit more!

We had a fabulous time - I highly recommend visiting San Fran if you get the chance! - JM